Fyfe injured as Dockers crisis deepens

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon admits he’s as shocked as anyone and needs to go back to the drawing board after the club’s season lurched into further crisis with a four-point loss to Carlton.

And Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe could be set for an extended period on the sidelines after re-injuring his left leg in the 10.12 (72) to 9.14 (68) defeat, with the result leaving Fremantle dead last on the table with a 0-5 record.

It’s the same leg Fyfe fractured during last year’s preliminary final loss to Hawthorn, and Lyon confirmed some damage had occurred around the area where a plate was inserted.

Fyfe’s injury deepened Fremantle’s problems.

Billed as premiership contenders at the start of the season, Fremantle look more like wooden spooners at the minute.

Lyon’s attempt to transform Fremantle into a more attacking outfit has gone horribly wrong, and the veteran coach admits he needs to start again in some aspects.

“Yeah, I’ve got no alternative,” Lyon said.

“We’re all shocked. We’re all hurting.

“We don’t rebuild, but restump, we rewire, we re-plumb.

“Clearly, we just don’t roll along. Clearly we’re not going to play finals the way we’re playing. But you guys can write those things.”

Last year, Fremantle started the season 9-0 on the way to the minor premiership.

But with tough games against Adelaide (away), GWS, and Hawthorn (away) to come in the next three weeks, the Dockers are staring down a 0-8 record.

For Carlton, it was sweet success for Brendon Bolton, who celebrated his first win as Carlton coach.

“As much as you just focus on all the process, to get a little bit of the icecream is always good,” captain Marc Murphy said of the rebuilding Blues.

“To the boys’ credit, we (were) 0-4, heads could drop, but everyone has stuck fat and worked hard.”

Also on Sunday, GWS overwhelmed St Kilda in the last quarter at Etihad Stadium for a 47-point win.

Saints coach Alan Richardson blasted his side for having too many passengers in the 19.12 (126) to 12.7 (79) result.

Meanwhile, Port Adelaide are denying any disharmony after suffering their third heavy loss in four weeks.

The Power were thrashed by 48 points by Geelong on Saturday night, with captain Travis Boak admitting criticism from chairman David Koch had rattled some players.

And North’s Ben Cunnington faces a nervous wait after appearing to sink his knees into Gold Coast star Gary Ablett during the Roos’ 38-point win on Saturday.

Other Saturday winners were Western Bulldogs against Brisbane by 63 points while Sydney downed West Coast by 39 points, with Hawthorn sneaking another three-point win – their third in a row – against Adelaide on Friday night.

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